Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is now more than six years since the occupied territories Bill was sponsored by Senator Frances Black. Before the election, I welcomed that the Government indicated support, in some shape or form, but now, like others, I am extremely worried that this Bill might not proceed further or might be watered down in such a way as to be rendered meaningless. It is one thing to hone the legislation in terms of what is legally possible within an Irish or EU context; it is quite another to amend or abolish it because of cowering to threats or misinformation and disinformation emanating from various bad actors continents apart, be it Netanyahu, President Trump, Elon Musk or anyone else. We have an obligation.

I am delighted that Senator Frances Black was returned to Seanad Éireann to keep the pressure on and continue what she told me had been up to now a positive and constructive engagement in terms of passing a Bill that would send out the right message but that would also have a meaningful impact. This is extremely simple legislation aimed at banning Irish trade with Israel's illegal settlements in the West Bank - nothing more, nothing less.

As previous speakers stated, much more needs to be done. Focusing on the subject matter, however, it is obvious that Israel has never had sovereignty over the West Bank. Despite this, it has facilitated the planting of an estimated 500,000 settlers across decades. In many instances, this has been done in a targeted, strategic way aimed at subjugating the Palestinian population and creating corridors that make the establishment of an independent, autonomous Palestinian state increasingly difficult. We know that initially this was for strategic, possibly defensive, reasons. The so-called Area C, controlled by Israel, has now been propagated for blatant, fundamentalist, religious and Zionist reasons. It is a case of "God's will - we are the chosen people to occupy this land". This wrong has been highlighted many times over the years, certainly before the events of the past 18 months when more than 60,000 Palestinians have been massacred by the Israeli army in Gaza. The vast majority of those people were innocent adults. A very large and horrific number of those indiscriminately murdered were children. Others have referenced the way they have died and suffered. Those who have been maimed have been sentenced to a different but equally horrific type of life. This wrong was highlighted a long time ago, even before a certain narcissistic person came up with the outrageous, inhumane and farcical Riviera proposal involving mass ethnic cleansing. That proposal is said individual's version of "go hifreann nó go Connacht", or to hell or to Egypt. Those who are called out in respect of this type of behaviour have used and will use any threat or lie to deflect from what they have done and what they continue to do.

When I was a councillor, I opposed motions seeking the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador. I saw such a move as counterproductive and thought it sent the wrong message. How can someone be held to account if they cannot be called to account face to face? Of course, then the Israeli Government decided to do this themselves and slur Ireland as an antisemitic country, doing a grave dishonour to the millions exterminated by the brutal Nazi regime for the sake of scoring political points.

We are simply a people who have experience of being brutalised. We have seen colonisation and brutalisation for what they are at first hand. We have experienced both and we empathise with the Palestinian people. Equally, and it has to be said in this context and in this Chamber, we have no axe to grind with Israel or the Israelis. We recognise that no life is worth less than another. Like many others, I condemn outright the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023, the murder of innocent Israeli people and the taking of hostages. I condemn their equally fundamentalist ideology of hatred that seeks the total annihilation of Israel. I feel for the suffering of Israeli families whose loved ones have been taken. I recognise the right of the Israeli state to exist and to condemn antisemitism in all its forms. Like my colleagues, I welcome that some of the hostages have been released and that there is a ceasefire. We have to call a spade a spade, however. The way that Israel has retaliated is morally wrong. Before its retaliation, the illegal occupation of the West Bank, which continues, was morally wrong. If we condemn these illegal settlements and their methodical progress, we have an obligation to do everything in our power to stop them being supported economically, which is what is proposed in this simple Bill.

Like others, I hope for a day of peace and reconciliation in this troubled region. In the meantime, this Bill sends a clear and unambiguous message. What the Israeli state is doing is wrong. Whether it is a two-state, a one-state or a multi-state solution, we will support whatever type of solution gives rise to peaceful coexistence. Until then, we have to call out the Israelis for their atrocities. We love the Israeli people; we hate the regime.

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